


Overture

by Daughter of Vayu (aquaregia)



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Classical Music, Classical Music, Conductor Viktor, M/M, Not Beta Read, Older Chris, Pianist Yuuri, everyone is musician, like OLDER
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 16:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9910319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquaregia/pseuds/Daughter%20of%20Vayu
Summary: Because of what he thought to be an embarrassing defeat in piano competition, Katsuki Yuuri decided to stop with the music and returned to Hasetsu to help with his family onsen and their dwindling business. Until one day, a famous conductor, Viktor Nikiforov, showed up in Hasetsu and asked Yuuri to come to Paris with him and study in Conservatoire de Paris.Basically a Classical Music AU a.k.a Nodame Cantabile AU where Yuuri was an unknown talented pianist and Viktor was the new rising star conductor. Together, they made music.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I know nothing about classical music. Well, not exactly "nothing", I know somethings... Most of it came from anime or TV series, or movies... A lot you might recognized taken from Nodame Cantabile, so this could be called a 'Nodame Cantabile AU' because you might see some similar plot points. Somethings like the piano competition and Roux-Marlet Orchestra were taken from Nodame as well because I'm being lazy... Sorry...
> 
> And also, Chris is Viktor's mentor in this instead of mere best friend, and he was A LOT older than in the canon. I need perverted old man, and Chris' face kept popping out in my mind. I'm sorry, Chris, I love you!
> 
> Also, this hasn't been beta yet... My beta is doing her best right now without laptop. Fighting~!
> 
> Tell me what do you think? And feel free to tell me if you found anything weird~

**Maradonna Piano Competition Finals**

 

Viktor Nikiforov wasn’t sure what he was doing here right now, sitting inside the dark concert hall watching the Finals of Maradona Piano Competition. If it wasn’t because of Yakov Feltsman told him to come, Viktor wouldn’t show up. He just finished his performance as guest conductor with Japan Philharmonic Orchestra when he heard his old piano teacher was also in Tokyo as a judge for Maradona Competition. Without that much of interest, Viktor dragged himself and his younger cousin to the concert hall because Yakov said he would find someone interesting.

“This is suck.” Viktor could hear the violinist, Yuri Plisetsky, mumbled under his breath. He in Japan for some personal business he didn’t want to tell Viktor (it’s probably related to the famous anime theatrical release Yuri had been talk about during orchestra practice back in France). Viktor used this opportunity to dragged Yuri with him to the piano competition since he didn’t want to be alone.

“Just watch, Yurotchka,” Viktor cheered him up half-heartedly.

Yuri huffed and slumped into his seat. Viktor just sighed at the 18 years old.

Viktor glanced around, people seemed to be excited about this participant they called “Glasses-kun”. At first, he didn’t really care. Must be really good then if he made it to Finals and got the audience (some were speaking in English) gushing about his Debussy in third preliminary, yet there were also some harsh criticism on his Liszt in second preliminary. The contrasting opinions about the same pianist made Viktor wondered what kind of person could bring out such contradictory.

And Viktor watched carefully. So far, everyone was good, but no one stood out that much. Not yet. Of course they were good, this was the Final after all. Yet, no one managed to ignite that fire inside him, not yet. Yakov said he would see someone interesting, and Viktor started to wonder if it would be this Glasses-kun everyone was waiting. He clapped with everyone as the girl on the stage finished her piece and stepped out. The next contestant came in and Viktor blinked.

Never before he saw someone as handsome as this contestant, clad In dark tailcoat, his hair was dark and slicked back messily, yet appealing. He was beautiful, with wide eyes, and from his seat, Viktor couldn’t catch the color. The audience started to gush again in excitement, and Viktor’s sharp ears caught someone said something in English.

“Ooh… he looks so handsome today!”

“Glasses-kun looks so hot without his glasses!”

A lot more was spoken in Japanese, but Viktor couldn’t speak the language, but he got the gist. So this was the infamous Glasses-kun? Viktor mused as he sat straighter when the man on the stage took a seat. The concert hall quieted down as he started to play the song. Viktor’s eyes widened.

[Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZZqSZqJz4Y). Viktor couldn’t help but hold his breath as the colorful sounds came from those fingers, dancing beautifully across the piano keys. Each notes bursting with colors and the pianist was able to portray it beautifully. Who was this Japanese boy? If he could play this good, why hadn’t he heard about him before? From the way he looked, he might be a few years younger than Viktor himself. Why didn’t he know about this man? This level of skill, this beautiful sound… It was like the sound of an orchestra.

Beside him, Viktor could see Yuri was sitting up straighter from his peripheral vision.

By the time the song ended, Viktor was smiling, This was it. This was what he was looking for all this time. He wanted more. He wanted to hear his piano more and more.

The second song started, and Viktor swore his heart stopped at the first note. [Schumann’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7p4gJKfT5c). A powerful Schumann… he played it beautifully. A perfect syncopation and rhythm, he played as if he was possessed. Was this what Yakov wanted to show him? This amazing performance by an unknown Japanese pianist. Viktor could feel the excitement once the song ended, and the audience was already clapping at the perfect performance, despite he still have one more piece to play.

The pianist hit the notes of the third song, and Viktor smiled even brighter. He knew this song so well. Stravinsky’s [_Three Movements from Petrushka_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DD77HzhRB4), the piano of the music from the ballet “Petrushka”. It was renowned for the notorious technical and musical difficulties with wild and rapid jumps. Viktor’s heart was beating faster, ready to burst out from excitement when the first movement, ‘ _Russian Dance’_ started. The fast notes came in, depicting the story where three dolls being brought to life by the Chatalan. Viktor smiled as the memory of his parents bringing him to watch the ballet. Everything was lovely until suddenly the piano stopped.

Viktor blinked and looked at the man on the stage. His body was frozen rigid, devoid of any movement as he stared wide eyed at the piano. _What happen…? Does he forget the song…?_ Before anyone could answer his question, the song continued but Viktor frowned. _What’s happening? This isn’t ‘Petrushka’…_ He bit his lip. It sounded a bit like ‘ _Petrushka_ ’, but he knew it was a completely different song. Was he improvising? It still sounded beautiful but very messy, Viktor had to admit. When the song entered the second movement, “ _Petrushka’s Room_ ”, it returned to the original composition. Viktor sighed in relieve as he listened carefully.

_Too bad_ , he thought when he saw the anguish on the pianist’s face as he ended the song. His play was good, but it was not allowed to improvise like that in the competition. Viktor wanted to hear more of his piano. There was something intriguing and alluring about that man, and Viktor wanted to know him more. He would ask Yakov later.

The competition finally ended, but there was no first place winner.

 

* * *

 

 

After Maradona, Yuuri dropped out from music academy and returned to his hometown in Hasetsu. He had decided it. Maradona was his first and last competition after all. He knew his teacher, Celestino Cialdini, was disappointed with him. He should’ve got off the stage after Schumann. He messed up big time, how could he forget the rest of the first movement of Petrushka?! He managed to keep himself together for the first two songs, but completely broken down for the third.

“I can’t be help, Yuuri, you were sick just yesterday and you didn’t have enough time to study for the third song after you just heard about Vicchan…” Phichit Chulanont, a pianist from Thailand who was also Celestino’s student, consoled him softly just after Yuuri returned to the dressing room. Phichit wasn’t competing this time, but he was still there to cheer for Yuuri. “Let’s go back to the apartment, okay? You can help me with my Beethoven for my exams. You love Beethoven, right?”

In the end, even after he returned to his hometown, not even once he touched the piano. He had decided after all, if he couldn’t make it in the competition, he stopped playing the piano. The condition of his family onsen in Hasetsu was dire, and it was expensive to continue to pay for Yuuri’s tuition in music academy. His parents and sister had told him to keep on, but Yuuri knew how difficult the situation was now with tourism business was pretty slow in Hasetsu.

And so there he was, curling up in his bed, just a day after his arrival in Hasetsu. He was tired, his parents told him to just rest for now. His old music teacher, Okukawa Minako, had come to pick him up from the train station, asking Yuuri about his study. Yuuri only gave short answer, explaining about his decision dropping out from music academy in Tokyo. He started to wonder if Minako would let him teach a class in Minako’s music studio now. Yuuri could still play piano and got paid for teaching.

He finally pushed himself up and walked out of his bedroom. He hadn’t play for such a long time, his fingers were itching to play the piano. He didn’t find his parents or Mari around, so he walked towards his “piano room” where his family kept his piano and his music sheets. Yuuri smiled when he found the brightly lit room with his beautiful piano sat in the middle. Yuuri pressed the key and smiled in excitement as the clear note filled his ear. His family still kept it tuned, it was probably his father wo took care of it. His family might not really understand classical music, but they loved it when Yuuri played something on his piano, and they were always supportive of Yuuri’s passion. He couldn’t ask more from his parents and Mari.

Yuuri sat down and place his fingers carefully. What should he play today?

One song popped into his head and he played the first notes.

[Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ‘ _Pathetique_ ’ second movement ‘ _Adagio cantabile_ ’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuN3yCmHb_U). It was slow, it was expressive. Yuuri remembered how Phichit loved this one and he kept asking Yuuri to play it. Yuuri closed his eyes as his fingers danced across the keys, drowning in the sound of the piano. He loved this, playing without any care as much as he wanted. In this room, he could play however he liked. It was sad when he told Celestino he was dropping out of school to help his family with the inn. He told Phichit in the last minutes that he would come back home to Hasetsu, yet he didn’t have the hard to tell Phichit about his decision to stop playing the piano all together.

But piano was Yuuri’s life, he realized it as his fingers kept dancing to create music. There was no way he could stop this. He would ask Minako tonight if he could help her teach piano lesson.

When he hit the final note of the second movement, he heard someone clapped from the doorway. He wondered if it was his mother or Minako, so Yuuri turned around only to have his heart stopped the moment his eyes landed on a very familiar face. And not only that, he also treated to a _very_ wet, and _very_ naked body standing on the doorway of his piano room.

“Bravo, Yuuri!” the thick accented voice said in English, and before Yuuri knew it, the very naked and wet body of a man in front of him hugged him tightly. “You really should go with me to France!”

Yuuri’s brain already short-circuited as he screamed and passed out.

Holy fuck, Viktor Nikiforov was standing in his studio buck naked and wet, warm from the onsen.

 

* * *

 

The first time he watched Viktor Nikiforov performed was in Vienna when Celestino dragged him there to attend a music festival by Celestino’s old friend, Josef Karpisek. Yuuri attended the advanced piano class, held by the man himself. It was a privilege to attend such festival, and Yuuri met other musicians from all over the world, including a maestro and old friend of Joseph Karpisek, Christophe Giacometti. At first, it was awkward for Yuuri, especially about the older man’s flirty nature and his tendency to molest younger musician regardless their genders. But Chris was kind, and he helped Yuuri to go through Karpisek’s advanced piano class until Yuuri manage to catch up to the lesson. In the end, they started to form some sort of friendship. It was Chris who dragged him to an orchestra performance in town, telling Yuuri it was his pupil’s debut performance.

Yuuri just went along and followed Chris since the Swiss told him he would pay for Yuuri’s ticket and dinner afterward. Who would refuse that? So in the last day of the festival, Yuuri and Chris went to the concert hall and watched the performance.

The first music was [Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 ‘ _Eroica_ ’](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Beethoven_SymphonyNo.3Eroica_LudwigVanBeethoven-SymphonyNo.3InEFlatMajorEroicaOp.55-01-AllegroConBrio.ogg). Yuuri was smiling the whole time, as his eyes drawn to the silver haired conductor standing in front of the whole orchestra, leading the grandiose piece with such grace and beauty. Yuuri had heard the piece for so many times (including Chris’ when the older conductor made him listened to it), but this one was different. It excited him, it was drowning, it was beautiful. When the song ended, everyone cheered, and Yuuri might be the loudest.

“Chris, Chris… Who is he?” Yuuri asked his friend.

“Viktor Nikiforov,” Chris said simply and smiled. “He’s pretty famous back in Russia, I met him when he moved to France a few years ago to study piano under Yakov Feltsman in Conservatoire. He’s a prodigy, he plays violin as well as piano, but conducting is his true passion. He’s the best student I ever had.” Chris nodded.

“You sure he was just student?” Yuuri teased.

“Yuuri, I’m hurt! My heart’s only yours, my love!” Chris chuckled in good humor. “Viktor was really just a student, and nothing more. He’s too in love with music to think about his love life, anyway.”

_Viktor Nikiforov_ … Yuuri smiled at the name.

“Chris, what’s the next song?” Yuuri asked since Chris was holding the concert program in his hands.

“[Ravel’s ‘ _Bolero_ ’](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Bolero-Maurice_Ravel-Philadelphia_Orchestra-Eugene_Ormandy-1957.ogg),” Chris smiled.

Yuuri smiled brightly and sat straighter in his seat. He wondered what kind of ‘ _Bolero’_ Viktor would bring to the stage. Yuuri practically buzzing in his seat the when the snare drum intro started the song. It was perfect!

The third song, [Paul Dukas’ ‘ _Sorcerer’s Apprentice_ ’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4yH4B9deok) was outstanding as Yuuri could imagine the magic happened when the magician’s apprentice enchanted the broom to do his works and making a mess because he didn’t know how to stop the broom. He smiled happily as he listen to the enchanting magic Viktor Nikiforov had casted over the audience.

The fourth song was [Strauss’ ‘ _Till Eulenspiegel Merry Pranks_ ’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7O9Oa22nsQ) made Yuuri smiled with the humorous tone. But it was the last song in the program that changed Yuuri’s world.

“What’s the last song, Chris?” Yuuri asked, full of excitement once the fourth song ended.

“Hmm… Oh, this is interesting,” Chris smiled. But before Chris could explain, the stage coordinator had pushed a grand piano on the stage. Yuuri blinked curiously. _Will the next song be a piano concerto?_ He wondered.

Viktor Nikiforov returned to the stage alone and sat on the chair before the piano. Yuuri’s eyes widened. _He would play and conduct at the same time?!_ His heart was beating faster in anticipation. _What kind of sound Viktor’s piano would bring?_ Yuuri never took his eyes of the silver haired man behind the piano as he hit the first notes, and Yuuri quickly recognized the song.

[Rachmaninoff’s _Piano Concerto No. 2_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEGOihjqO9w&t=267s) in C minor.

Yuuri hold his breath as he watched Viktor Nikiforov led the orchestra with his piano. It was pulling him in, making Yuuri tensed in anticipation. The piano prelude of the song gave him the strong impact and luring him into the music. And before he knew it, the orchestra was pouring in, hitting like a waves of tsunami. Yuuri could barely breath as the song continues, reaching the second movement. He couldn’t take his eyes of Viktor Nikiforov.

He didn’t want the song to end. He wanted to sit there forever, listening to this Rachmaninoff. He wanted to sit there forever and listen to the songs Viktor Nikiforov would perform. He wanted to hear more of Viktor’s performance.

They played three encores before the concert finished, leaving Yuuri still in daze on his seat, still too caught up in the Rachmaninoff.

“Y-Yuuri, are you okay?” Chris shook his shoulder gently, making the Japanese pianist looked up to his friend.

“Y-yeah… I’m fine…” Yuuri mumbled softly.

“You’re crying…” Chris said slowly as he handed Yuuri his handkerchief. Yuuri touched his cheeks, still wet with tears. No wonder his sight was blurry. “Do you want to meet Viktor? I can arrange it so we can meet him in the dressing room…”

Yuuri shook his head quickly. He couldn’t hold it anymore. His fingers were itching to play the Rachmaninoff he just heard. “I… I’m going back now… I want to play piano…”

And before Chris could stop him, Yuuri had left and ran back to the festival building to find a piano. He wanted to play it.

That Rachmaninoff.

 

* * *

 

 

Nishigori Yuuko was the cellist for Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. It was off season for the orchestra, so Yuuko used as much time to return to her hometown in Hasetsu. Performing with Viktor Nikiforov was quite an experience and she couldn’t wait to tell her best friend, Yuuri, about it. The pianist had been Viktor’s fan for years ever since he watched the Russian conductor’s debut live in Vienna. She knew how much Yuuri wanted to watch the concert, but when it was held, Yuuri was in the middle of his Maradona Concour.

It was really one of Yuuri’s lowest point, with the death of his dog, Vicchan, and he fell sick just after the third preliminary making him unable to fully study his pieces for the Final. Yuuri was so disappointed afterward, dropping out of music academy and returned to his hometown in Hasetsu. Yuuko had been trying to talk to Yuuri, but the pianist always managed to avoid her. All Yuuko could talk to was to the Thai pianist, Phichit Chulanont who shared the same piano teacher with Yuuri and had been roommate with him since Yuuri moved to Tokyo to study music.

After she dropped her husband and their triplets in his in-law’s house, Yuuko made her way to Yuuri’s family’s onsen, Yu-topia Katsuki. Minako texted her saying Yuuri just arrived in Hasetsu yesterday. Now, the mother of the triplets and cellist for Japan Philharmonic was out to grind Yuuri with his stupid decision to stop studying music and dropping out of school just because one failed performance.

What she didn’t expect was a familiar silver haired Russian sitting in Yu-topia’s dining hall eating katsudon while Katsuki Yuuri was out cold on the tatami next to the said Russian.

“Viktor-san…? Why are you here…?” Yuuko asked. “Why is Yuuri-kun sleeping there…?”

“Oh! The cellist from Japan Philharmonic… Yuuko Nishigori, right?” Viktor smiled brightly. Of course he remembered Yuuko since the woman was the section leader in Japan Philharmonic. The man looked at ease, wearing the inn’s dark green jinbei and eating Katsuki Hiroko’s extra-large katsudon. “So you know Yuuri?” Viktor asked her curiously.

Yuuko nodded slowly in confusion.

“Are you his lover?” Viktor asked out of the blue.

“W-What?! No. I’m married,” Yuuko answered quickly, flustered with the sudden private question. “You haven’t answered my question though…”

“Ah? I’m here for Yuuri,” Viktor smiled. “I want to bring him back to France with me!”

Yuuko blinked a few times and frowned, trying to process the words and carefully translated it to Japanese in case she heard it wrong.

_What_?!

 

* * *

 

Never in his life, Yuuri could think about the famous Viktor Nikiforov showed up in his family’s onsen (and greeted him buck naked), yet here he was, standing beside Yuuri casually asking him to play a piece. Yuuri wondered if he was still dreaming, that if he pinched himself hard enough he would wake up.

Apparently, Viktor was here to ask Yuuri to study in France. Yakov Feltsman, the judge from Maradona had taken liking to Yuuri and invited him to study in Conservatoire. It took a while until the explanation sinking in, and Yuuri was wondering why Viktor Nikiforov was the one who came all the way to Hasetsu just to tell him that.

“I volunteered,” Viktor said lightly. “Yakov sent a letter to your old teacher, Celestino, but he told Yakov you were dropping out from school and returned to your hometown. I told Yakov I would get you myself and sent the letter directly to you,” Viktor handed Yuuri the invitational letter signed by Yakov Feltsman from Conservatoire de Paris. “Take your time to decide, no rush.”

Yuuri just stared at the letter before he read it once, twice, third time… _Yakov Feltsman invited him…?_

“If you decided to go, you still have to pass the entrance exams, but with your skill, I thought it would be easy,” Viktor nodded. “And maybe learn some French too, and I’m sure I can help you with that, Yuuri…” Viktor tilted Yuuri’s face up and bring their faces closer until they could feel each other’s breath before Yuuri pushed himself away quickly.

“I… I’ll think about that!” he bolted out of the room and locked himself in his bedroom until morning.

And now, here they were, in Yuuri’s practice room with the Japanese man sat before the piano and Viktor stood closely with expectation.

“So, what will you play for me, Yuuri?” Viktor asked.

“Uuhmm…” Yuuri bit his lips, thinking. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to play. Viktor had heard his favorite ‘Adagio cantabile’ yesterday (and hugged him naked after he heard it, Yuuri was still blushing bright red at the memory). Yuuri thought about the last piece he studied with Celestino as his fingers started to play the fast paced intro.

Ravel’s ‘ _Mirroirs_ ’, first movement ‘ _[Noctuelles – Night Moths](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCmbEIewKYo)’_. It was a high difficulty piece, with dark and nocturnal moods, quite different from the singing-like quality of the ‘ _Sonata Pathetique’_ second movement ‘ _Adagio cantabile’_ he had heard Yuuri played before. Viktor watched as Yuuri showed his technical and musical ability, and as Viktor had expected, Yuuri was good. So good, in fact, Viktor wondered what he was doing all this time in Japan instead of studying in Europe. They entered the second movement, ‘[Oiseaux tristes – Sad Birds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCmbEIewKYo)’, with its melancholic tone, like a bird singing in sorrow. It wasn’t until the third movement, ‘ _[Une barque sur l’océan – A Boat on the Ocean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O5wMctUSAM)’_ when Yuuri missed a note, then everything went downhill from there. He didn’t continue to the fourth and fifth movements, his fingers had stopped and he looked down solemnly.

Viktor smiled and clapped his hands in appreciation. “ _Bravo_ , Yuuri. It was almost perfect!” he said. “Why don’t you continue to the fourth and fifth movements…?”

Yuuri shook his head. He didn’t want to. The memory of that failed ’ _Petrushka_ ’ came back to him once he missed the notes and everything went downhill from there. He managed to finish the song in the competition, but he could feel his hands were refusing to move after the third movement of ‘ _Mirroirs_ ’. He failed, again. And this time, it was in front of Viktor Nikiforov, his idol.

“Okay, it’s fine, Yuuri. Let’s play something to cheer you up!” Viktor smiled as he sat beside Yuuri. Yuuri blushed when he could feel their hips were touching each other’s. He jumped from the seat quickly so Viktor could take the whole seat. “What do you want me to play, Yuuri? Mozart? Debussy?”

“It’s up to you…” Yuuri mumbled shyly.

“Debussy then! ‘ _[L’isle joyeuse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xNfmsN_8hQ)’_ ,” Viktor started to play the melodies on the piano. Yuuri knew this piece so well. Minako played it for him a long time ago. Viktor’s Debussy was different from Minako. Yuuri blushed when he kept listening carefully. _This Debussy was in love…_ Yuuri closed his eyes and listened closely, imagining the beautiful island and a man in love. Chris told him that Viktor Nikiforov was a prodigy. Yuuri himself couldn’t even began to describe Viktor’s performances whether it was as a conductor or a pianist.

Never in his life would Yuuri dream Viktor Nikiforov played a song for him. Yuuri was so busy marveling at the music, he snapped back to reality once the song ended.

“How was that, Yuuri?” Viktor asked.

“ _B-Bravo_!” he clapped enthusiastically.

“Really? I’m glad it can cheer you up,” Viktor nodded. “So, have you thought about it? Going to Paris?”

“Oh… I have… but I’m still not sure… I want to, but studying abroad will cost a lot…” he said slowly, thinking about his family who was already struggling to support him in Tokyo, how could they support him studying in Paris? The onsen business was slowing down in Hasetsu right now, and today, the only onsen that lasted was his family’s.

“Don’t worry about the tuition. Yakov was already found a scholarship for you, and we have student funds that would support your accommodations,” Viktor explained. “Celestino had applied you for the scholarship; all you had to do is passed the exams.”

Yuuri blushed when he thought about it. Going to Paris to study? Abroad? He had dreamed about it before. But Yuuri always thought he was still lacking in skills to go to Europe despite what Celestino said. Could he really do it? He messed up in Maradona Concour, but Yakov Feltsman who was the judge there agreed to take him as his student…

There was no way Yuuri would let this opportunity slipped from his fingers.

So he nodded.

Viktor gave his heart-shaped smile brightly and hugged Yuuri tightly, making the younger man flinched in surprise.

“Now, let’s study for the exams!”

 

* * *

 

 

Sometimes Viktor wondered if Yuuri knew how high his skill was. His ears were good, he practically picked up any song he just heard for the first time, and Viktor realizing this scary ability when they listened to Chopin’s [_Etude Op. 10, No. 4_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUVCGsWhwHU), in C-sharp minor. Viktor couldn’t find the piano score in Hasetsu’s music store so he had to order it online and waited until it arrived. He was surprised when he found Yuuri later that night, sitting in front of his piano and played the ‘ _Etude_ ’. Of course, there were some mistakes since he just heard the song for the first time just a few hours ago and he heard it only once, but Yuuri looked so adsorbed in his play he didn’t even realized Viktor stood behind him. That night, Viktor discovered that Yuuri could play a song by the ear to almost perfection.

Another thing Viktor realized about Yuuri was the fact that he was a perfectionist. Viktor had heard Yuuri played ‘ _Pathetique_ ’ perfectly, but when he made a mistake like he did with ‘ _Mirroirs_ ’ he couldn’t recover. Viktor had talked to Minako about it, asking for her opinion. Minako had said it might be because of the failure in Maradona Concours when he messed up his third piece.

“How about you try this piece with him?” Minako handed Viktor a piano score.

“Mozart’s [Sonata for Two Pianos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT9gT5bqi6Y) in D major?” Viktor looked at the title. “I never played this one before…” he had to admit it.

“I think it could boost up his confidence a bit playing duet with you,” Minako said simply. “Just come to my studio to practice. You’ll need two pianos after all.”

So, Viktor returned to the inn where he found Yuuri was playing the piano. Viktor didn’t recognized the song at first until he realized it was a piano rearrangement of Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack. Viktor waited until the song was over to show Yuuri the new piece they would practice with together.

Other than piano practice, Viktor also helped Yuuri with French. Viktor always enjoyed the French lesson because he could see Yuuri would blush prettily whenever Viktor spoke to him in French. He was such an adorable cinnamon roll, Viktor just wanted to cuddle him (Yuuri still refusing to sleep with Viktor at night, which was really sad). It was almost a month Viktor had been staying in Hasetsu, Yuuri still keeping a distance between them. He had called Chris, asking for his advice, but the Swiss maestro only gave him some ridiculous picked up lines Viktor knew wouldn’t work on Yuuri. Viktor wanted to get close to Yuuri and got to know him, not just bringing him to his bed.

“Yuuri, your tempo is off,” Viktor reminded him when they were practicing in Minako’s studio. Viktor was playing the first piano while Yuuri played the second piano.

“I… I’m sorry!” Yuuri quickly tried to fix, but as Viktor could already guess, he stopped in the middle.

“Why do you stop, Yuuri?” Viktor asked.

“Aa… I’m sorry… I…”

“It’s okay to miss something. Today is our first day practicing this song after all, and none of us are really familiar with the song to begin with,” Viktor said. “Besides, I’m here with you, right? If you make mistake, all you have to do is listen to my piano and keep on going. I’ll do the same to you. This _is_ a sonata for two pianos.”

“O-okay…” Yuuri nodded.

“Once again from the top!”

Yuuri was a good student. If Viktor was a pianist, he would happily take Yuuri as his student. Yakov was lucky. Yuuri was diligent, he was talented. He also listened to Viktor, even though his tendency to stop when mistakes were made was still there, it was just lesser than before. Minako was right when she said the Mozart could help Yuuri. She told Viktor how Yuuri used to struggle with Mozart but loved Beethoven. Viktor helped Yuuri polished his study, preparing him for the theoretical part of classical music.

Sometimes Viktor would play a piece for Yuuri and asked him to describe and analyze the piece. Yuuri still need a lot of help since he was rarely voicing his opinion to Viktor, whether it was because of shyness or something else, Viktor didn’t know. But today, Viktor decided to play something different for Yuuri. The Japanese pianist listened to the song carefully until Viktor was finished.

“What do you think?” the silver haired Russian asked.

A cute frown started to form on Yuuri’s face.

“I… I don’t think… I particularly like it…?” Yuuri hesitated.

“Hm? Why?” Viktor asked curiously.

“It was… kinda pushy, and demanding… A bit forceful and bossy in an annoying way… Though I’m not sure who write the piece, I never heard it before, it sounds a bit pretentious…?”

Viktor smiled. “Of course you never heard it before, Yuuri. This piece was never been played in front of an audience before, because I’m the one who wrote this piece last year.”

Viktor watched as Yuuri’s body went rigid, and those caramel brown eyes stared at Viktor with pure horror. “I… I… I’m s-sorry! I think it was… good…?” Yuuri was blushing bright red.

“I thought you said it was pretentious?” Viktor teased.

“I didn’t mean it that way…!” he was flushed before he got up quickly and ran away from Viktor.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuri was avoiding him, Viktor pouted. He rarely practicing at home and went to Minako’s studio instead. Whenever Viktor tried to start a conversation, Yuuri would quickly told him he had something else to do and left. He refused the offer to soak in the onsen or heading out for dinner. He even refused the offer to sleep together (obviously). Viktor was at the end of the rope when he found himself still alone in the practice room with no Yuuri insight, and Viktor could easily guessed where the man was hiding.

He walked up to Yuuri’s room and opened the door, finding the pianist was still there, wrapped under the blanket and staring at Viktor in horror.

“V-Viktor…” he gasped.

“Yuuri, let’s go to the ocean today,” Viktor smiled.

The silver haired conductor was happy when Yuuri nodded and followed him along as they walked up to Hasetsu’s beach. They found a nice place to sit down, listening to the sound of seagulls (“Black-tailed gulls,” Yuuri corrected him) and ocean. None of them said anything for a while.

“I really miss my Makkachin,” Viktor said randomly. “My dear poodle, she is old now, and when I came to Japan I didn’t bring her along. Right now I kinda regretted it. I’m glad Chris promised to take care of him. Do you want to see his pictures?” Viktor asked lightly.

Yuuri nodded and Viktor proudly showed the pictures of Makkachin from his phone. “She’s cute…” Yuuri mumbled with a soft smile on his face. Makkachin reminded him a lot of Vicchan…

“Yuuri, ever since I came here, I’m reminded of St. Petersburg when I heard the cry of seagulls in the morning. At my younger age, I never thought I would ever leave that city, but I somehow ended up in Vienna to study music. I kinda forget how comfortable the sound would be in the early morning when I got here,” Viktor mused softly. The cold ocean breeze blew their hair softly, and the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach made Viktor started to think of a song he wanted to compose.

“In Tokyo there was a girl who was really pushy and kept talking to me. One time, my friend in music academy got into an accident, I was pretty torn up with worry… I was in the hospital waiting room with that girl. And when she hugged me to comfort me, I shoved her away without thinking about it…”

“Wow, why?” Viktor smiled.

“I didn’t want her to think I was feeling unsettled. I felt like she was intruding my feeling, and I despise it,” Yuuri explained slowly. “But then I realized, my family, Minako-sensei, Yuuko-chan, and Nishigori never treated me like a weakling. They all had faith that I’d keep growing as a person, and they never stepped over the line.”

“Yuuri, you’re not weak. No one else thinks that either,” Viktor said. “What do you want me to be to you, Yuuri? A father figure?”

“No…”

“A brother, then? A friend?”

“Hmm…” Yuuri frowned slightly at the suggestions.

“Then, your lover, I guess. I can try my best…”

Yuuri jumped several meters on the air at that one and quickly turned to Viktor.

“No, no, no, no, no!” he screamed and jumped up. “I want you to stay who you are, Viktor!” Viktor turned to Yuuri and let their gazes met. “I’ve looked up to you, ever since I saw your debut performance in Vienna. For these several days, I ignored you because I didn’t want you to see my shortcomings,” Yuuri flushed and tried to avoid the gaze. “I’ll make it up to you with my piano!”

Viktor smile got wider as he offered his hand. “Okay, I won’t let you off easy, then. That’s the way of showing my love.”

Yuuri accepted the hand and nodded.

Viktor was glad, Yuuri finally started to open up to him, and Viktor himself would open up to Yuuri and met him halfway.

A few days passed, and their Mozart started to come perfectly. Yuuri made less mistakes and when he made one, Viktor was there for him and coaxing Yuuri back on track. Viktor had to admit, Yuuri’s play could be crazy and wild, and sometimes solemn and subdued, depending on his mood. When the deadline of their performance for Minako came, they sat beside each other in front of two pianos in Minako’s tiny practice room.

Viktor observed Yuuri carefully and patted his shoulder lightly.

“Today, you can play however you like, Yuuri,” Viktor nodded.

Yuuri’s eyes widened and nodded nervously. But Viktor’s words seemed to calm him down a bit, and now all he had to do was to drawn Yuuri in music to forget about everything. He took a deep breath, exchanging glances with Yuuri and nodded as they played the first notes simultaneously. Viktor smiled as he heard Yuuri played second piano. Wild, carefree. He jumped, he skipped without care, yet it was beautiful. He sounded the best when he had nothing In his mind after all. He often thinking too much about his play, it was affecting his piano so much and it tended to create mistakes.

Viktor easily matched Yuuri’s wild dance of _Sonata for Two Pianos_. Yuuri looked at ease playing the melody, meeting Viktor halfway. Yuuri was smiling as he glanced at Viktor with his soft caramel brown eyes while their body creating music.

Viktor could feel his heart skipped a beat at that and he could feel the heat crept up his face.

Oh.

_Oh_.

And the song came to an end.

He didn’t realize the claps and the cheer “bravo!’ from Minako. His mind was filled with the soft smile and caramel brown eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

The day of the exams was coming closer. Viktor had helped Yuuri practically covering everything and Yuuri’s French was the only one that still needed to work on, but Yuuri spoke perfect English. Viktor had asked him about this because Yuuri was studying in Tokyo, not abroad. He answered simply because his coach, Celestino Cialdini was Italian but raised in Detroit. The only way he could speak to Celestino was in English since the man’s Japanese was really bad, you couldn’t understand what he was saying. Besides, Yuuri’s roommate was a pianist from Thailad who also studied under Celestino.

Slowly but surely, Viktor started to get to know Yuuri. He wasn’t much a morning person since Yuuri often stayed late in front of his laptop in his room. He played piano since he was three, and Minako-sensei wasn’t his first teacher, but she taught him the longest. He moved to Tokyo once he finished high school and entered the music academy to pursue his career as a pianist. Yuuri had won several small local competitions before, and he was diligent. Maradona was the biggest competition he ever participate in, and he was still a bit bitter talking about that.

Today they just finished their practice, and Viktor managed to polish Yuuri’s Mozart a bit more, not that he actually needed it. They spent some time sat on the piano room’s floor, talking about music and Viktor’s tour. Viktor told Yuuri about the story when he was still studying under Chris, on how no one could guess Chris’ real age since the old man always said he was 25, but no one would believe his bullshit, even his agent had a headache when they had to update his profile in their company’s website. Yuuri laughed and told Viktor how he met Chris on Josef Karpisek’s Music Festival in Vienna and ended up telling Viktor about him watching Viktor’s debut performance.

They talked some more about Viktor’s dog, Makkachin who was now in Paris and how much Viktor missed the poodle so much. Yuuri always found Viktor video chatting with Makkachin after their practice before bed.

“Yuuri, I’ve been talking to Yakov, and it seems like he agreed to let you come to Paris a months prior to the exams to let you adjust first,” Viktor said. “We still have at least two weeks to prepare everything, and we can have your parents ship the rest of your things once the result came.”

“T-Two weeks?” Yuuri looked up to Viktor. He hadn’t told Phichit about his decision to study in Paris and enter Conservatoire.

“Yes. I wanted to give you more time to pack, actually, but my agent, Lilia, was angry I’ve been went AWOL all this past few weeks and ignoring all the jobs she has lined up for me…” Viktor sighed.

“I’m sorry… I thought Roux-Marlet Orchestra was having an off-season…?” Yuuri asked. The Roux-Marlet Orchestra was the orchestra group Viktor was working in as their permanent conductor. It was one of the largest orchestra in Paris with a very long history.

“Not exactly. Even though I’m their permanent conductor, there were other guest conductors came in to perform with them. Lilia is very angry I refused any job these past two months…”

“Then you should return to Paris immediately!” Yuuri said. “I’m sorry, I’ve been very selfish keeping you here when you have so many important conducting jobs lined up…”

“It’s okay, Yuuri. I think it’s a well-deserve vacation since my debut! Lilia never let me rest,” Viktor sighed. “I hope you don’t mind we have to get to Paris earlier than planned. But anyway, I volunteered myself to help you. I know you can be great, Yuuri.”

Viktor smiled when Yuuri blushed at the compliment. He was so adorable blushing simply from a compliment. Yuuri was always too hard on himself after all, and sometimes, it hurt Viktor to know that Yuuri kept underestimating his own talent.

“Yuuri, will you play Beethoven’s ‘ _Pathetique_ ’ for me?” Viktor asked gently.

“Eh…? Why…?” Yuuri asked.

“Because I like it. Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8, second movement ‘ _Adagio cantabile_ ’,” Viktor smiled. “That’s the first time I saw the real Yuuri playing his piano without care to the world. You skip, you jump, you dance, you sing, and it was beautiful.”

“What are you talking about?” Yuuri wondered. He never really think his ‘P _athetique_ ’ was that good. It was just a song he played for himself. The first song he mastered when he learnt piano, pouring all his sweat and tears to master it. Right now, it was Yuuri’s comfort song.

“Please?” Viktor pleaded.

Yuuri gave up and went to the piano bench and slowly, he played it. Started from the first movement, ‘[Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQebdkLvD00)’ which started slow and solemn before it got faster with more vigor in the middle. Viktor smiled as he watch Yuuri played, entering his own world of music, completely ignoring Viktor’s presence in the room. This was the Yuuri that Viktor wanted to see all the time. Drowned in his own music, creating a unique presence, alluring yet maintaining his innocence. The second movement was Yuuri’s favorite, it was slow but it brought up Yuuri’s ability to create the perfect ‘ _Adagio cantabile_ ’. He continued to third movement, ‘[Rondo allegro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJpSqC86vaw)’ and kept on going until the last notes.

Viktor chest tightened when he thought about it carefully. This amazing pianist just dropping out of school and was ready to give up music completely to help his family. Viktor almost loose this amazing pianist who never realized his potential. If Yakov didn’t ask him to come to the Final of the Maradona Concour, Viktor would never hear Yuuri’s piano. If Yakov didn’t decided to invite Yuuri to study in Conservatoire, maybe Viktor just gave up finding him and returned to Paris empty handed.

Before he knew it, Viktor had got up from the floor and pulled Yuuri into his arms, his chest pressing against Yuuri’s warm back. He mumbled gently into the Japanese man’s shoulder.

“Yuuri… Pass the exams and stay with me in Paris…” he whispered softly. Viktor realized Yuuri didn’t flinched as usual. Instead he felt a hand patted his hair gently.

“I’ll do my best, Viktor…” Yuuri said softly.

 

* * *

 

 

_What… what did I just do…?!_

Yuuri’s brain screeched when he returned to his room afterward, his mind was still processing everything that happened. Viktor just hugged him, and for once… Yuuri accepted the hug. Yuuri knew Viktor was very affectionate. He loved clinging to Yuuri, forming some sort of physical contact between them. That was just the way he was. But this time, the hug was different.

He tried to control his heartbeat. Soon he would be gone to Paris, and studying in the famous Conservatoire under Yakov Feltsman himself. He was a world class pianist before he settled to teach in Conservatoire, and used to be Viktor’s piano teacher. Yuuri had asked Vitor about the accommodation, and Viktor explained about the student dorm, ran by Nikiforov family. Viktor’s grandparents had agreed to let Yuuri stayed there for free as part of the scholarship (the famous Nikiforov Music Scholarship). As a famous music family from Russia, the name Nikiforov was well-known in music industry globally, mostly centered in St. Petersburg and Vienna. Viktor moved to Paris for his job as permanent conductor with Roux-Marlet Orchestra, one of the famous orchestra in Paris and the oldest in history. If Yuuri wasn’t mistaken, Chris used to be the permanent conductor for Roux-Marlet in his younger years (yet he was still adamant to let anyone knew how old he was at that time).

Yuuri would go to that Paris, where great musicians would go to study music. Yuuri couldn’t believe he would be given this chance. And he had Viktor Nikiforov himself helping him study for the entrance exams…

And he remembered he hadn’t told Phichit.

Yuuri quickly reached for his phone and started to video chat with Phichit, feeling nervous of how angry Phichit would be because Yuuri didn’t told the Thai pianist.

“P-Phichit-kun?” Yuuri greeted nervously once Phichit answer his phone.

“Oh? Katsuki-san?” Phichit asked innocently, and the alarm on Yuuri’s head rang loudly. Phichit only called him ‘Katsuki-san’ when he was furious.

“Phichit-kun, I’m sorry I just call you now… about going to Paris…”

“Hmm… It’s okay, Katsuki-san… I know you’re very busy at the moment with Viktor-fucking-Nikiforov with you 24/7, and preparing to elope to Paris, how scandalous. I just have to find out from Celestino after all, but I’m _not_ mad, Katsuki-san, not mad at all…”

_You’re clearly mad at me! You’re furious!_ Yuuri’s mind was screaming in horror at Phichit’s passive aggressive fury. It was Yuuri’s fault after all to not call him sooner, but when Yuuri decided to return to Hasetsu he set his heart to avoid any contact to anyone from school. He should’ve called Phichit sooner.

“Phichit… it’s not like that… Viktor is only here to help me study for Conservatoire’s entrance exams…” Yuuri said slowly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been contacting you since I left. I should’ve talk to you sooner. Please don’t be mad at me? I don’t know what I should do if my best friend is ignoring me…”

“Damn right you should’ve called me sooner, Yuuri! I was worried! You didn’t tell me any of your plans after dropping so I thought you will retire from music, then Celestino said he received a letter from Yakov Feltsman… _the_ Yakov Feltsman, inviting you to be his student in Conservatoire de Paris, and we didn’t know how to contact you until Viktor Nikiforov… _that_ Viktor Nikiforov whose poster still plastered in your old room, called and told us he will ask you personally and let Celestino filled up the form for scholarship in your name… Holy fuck, Yuuri, you got some serious explaining to do!” Phichit ranted.

Yuuri took a deep breath as he explained everything that happened to Phichit. Phichit listened to him, interjected here and there, but he listened, until Yuuri finished talking.

“So, you’re saying Viktor is running away from his job just to teach you?” Phichit asked him curiously.

“In a way…” Yuuri nodded. “At first I thought he was having an off season like Yuuko-chan, but apparently not. I haven’t looked for any news about Viktor since he was here…” Yuuri said slowly. “I feel guilty for keeping him here.”

“Hmmm… Oh, there’s news about Viktor Nikiforov missing a months after his performance with Japan Philharmonic…” Phichit read the news to Yuuri. “It is from International news site about the missing rising star. It is big news in Europe.”

“Oh no… Viktor said like it wasn’t a big deal at all!” Yuuri frowned. “We’ll be in Paris in two weeks. Viktor gave me more than enough time to prepare. He wanted to give me one month’s time to adjust to Paris before taking the exams…”

“You’ll pass with flying colors, Yuuri! Don’t worry about that,” Phichit said encouragingly. “I wish I could listen to your Beethoven one more time before I left to Bangkok in two days…”

“W-Wha… Phichit-kun, what do you mean you’d left to Bangkok…?” Yuuri asked quickly.

“Ah, well, Celestino got a job offer teaching abroad, so I decided I’ll just find another school or new teacher. I’m still young, so it isn’t that much of a waste anyway,” Phichit shrugged. “Besides, Tokyo is boring without you, and with you leaving to France, I think I’ll return to Thailand.”

“But Phichit… It isn’t like I’ll definitely get accepted to Conservatoire! Hundreds, thousands of people want to get a shot in Conservatoire, no one knows if I’ll pass the exams or not…” Yuuri said slowly to his best friend.

“You’ll pass. You’re amazing, Yuuri, you know that, right? You’re the best pianist I ever know!” Phichit said softly.

“Now we all know that’s a lie, Phichit-kun,” Yuuri chuckled. “I wish I could meet you before you go to Bangkok,” Yuuri sighed softly.

“Well, why don’t you play it for me one more time, Yuuri? I want t hear your ‘ _Adagio cantabile’_ ,” Phichit said softly.

“Right now?” Yuuri asked.

“Yes, right now,” he nodded.

Yuuri sighed and made his way to the piano room. Everyone had fallen asleep and he hoped the sound of the piano wouldn’t bother anyone. Yuuri set his phone on the piano so Phichit could watch before he smiled and started the first note of the familiar piano sonata.

“You’re going to be great, Yuuri,” Phichit said as Yuuri finished the song.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> That's a lot of links... some were from youtube, others were from music sample...
> 
> Don't hesitate to be my friend on [Tumblr](https://aquaregiastuff.tumblr.com/)


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